Flush-valve-operating mechanism



March 31 1925.

B. O. TILDEN FLUSH VALVE OPERATING MECHANISM Fifd Nbv. 12. 1924 Patented Mar. 31, 1925.

TES FATE? BERT O. TILDEN, OF TRENTON, NEXV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO B. O. T. MFG. 00., OF TRENTON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

FLUSH-VALVE-OPERATING MECHANISM.

Application filed November 12, 1924. Serial No, 749,436.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, BERT O. TILDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Mercer and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Flush-Valve- Operating Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in flush valve operating mechanisms, designed particularly for use in connection with vitrified china flush tanks, and has for its object to provide a novel and simple fitting of the class, wherein all of the exposed parts are made of durable and ornamental vitreous material, which are arranged to effectua-lly conceal all of the metal connecting and supporting parts. A further object is to provide novel and simple means for securing the china and other operating parts in place, and for adjusting said means for facilitating the installing of said mechanism upon tanks of varying thickness and contour. And a further object is to generally improve, simplify and render sanitary and ornamental flush tank fittings of the class.

This invention relates particularly to improvements in the devices shown and described in my United States Patent Number 1,061,705, dated May 13, 1913.

I attain these objects by the means set forth in the detailed description which fol with the cover removed. Fig. 2 is a broken front side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a broken end elevation of the tank. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, taken centrally through the operating parts shown in Fig. 1. Flg. 5 is respectively an end and a side view of the threaded sleeve in which the rock-shaft is journaled. Fig. 6 is respectively a front end, a rear end, and a side view of the china knob or head. Fig. 7 is an enlarged edge view of the spanner-nut. And Fig. 8 is respectively a top, a bottom, and a central vertical cross-section of the china escutcheon, the section being taken on line of the top end view.

In the drawing, 2 represents a china flush tank, which is supplied with the flushing water by a pipe 3, the water bein delivered to the tank through an elevated ball-cock 4, which is controlled by an ordinary float 5. The tank 2 is emptied during the flushing periods by means of a bottom outlet, which is controlled by the usual hollow rubber flush-valve 6, the said valve being lifted by a rod 6, to one end of which a rockable operating lever 8, that forms a part of the present combination connects, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The opposite end portion of the lever 8 is formed substantially U- shape, as at 8, and adjacent the opposite ends of the U, said lever passes through perforated ears or lugs 9 of a bracket 9, which is mounted on the inner front wall of the tank 2. The bracket 9 has a central opening 9", and a concentrically arranged hub or sleeve portion 9", which extends into a molded opening 2 of the tank, as shown 1n Figs. 3 and 4. The bracket 9 is mounted on the inner end of an externally threaded sleeve-bushing 10, the said end being fitted with a nut 12, which engages the bracket for holding the parts in place. The sleeve 10 extends through, and beyond the outer face of, the tank, and near its outer end is fitted with a flange-bushing 13, the barrel of which 1s disposed in the opening 2, while the flange bears against the outer face of the tank, as best seen in Fig. 4. The tightening up of the nut 12 and the bushing 13 rigidly clamps the bracket 9 against the inner wall of the tank. Beyond the bushing 13, a centrally perforated china escutcheon 14 is mounted on the sleeve 10, and is held in place with its flaring base 14 in close contact with the surface. ofthe tank, by a spanner-nut 15, which engages the threaded outer end of the sleeve (see Fig. 4). The relatively broad base 14 of the escutcheon is formed with arecess or cavity 14*, and the annular face surrounding the cavity is also formed slightly concave, for facilitating the mounting of said part upon a con- Vex or curved wall, the said concave being shown at 14 in Fig. 4. The opposite or outer end of the escutcheon is formed with a concentric socket 14, which receives and is partially filled by the nut 15. The lever 8 is rocked for opening the valve 6, by a trip, which comprises a relatively large oval loop means engaging said sleeve for clamping the escutcheon against the outer face of the tank, a china knob mounted on the outer end of said stem concentric to the escutcheon, a china operating handle depending from said knob, and means for connecting said handle to the tree end of said stem.

-l-. The combination with a china flush tank having a molded opening in one wall, a flush valve, a lever for operating said valve, and a bracket for supporting said lever, of a threaded sleeve for supporting said bracket, a strip having a loop engaging said lever and having a stem that journals in said sleeve, the free end of said stem extending beyond the outer Wall of the tank and beyond said sleeve, a head made of china. enclosing the free end of said stem, a china escutcheon supported by and concealing the outer end of said sleeve, means engaging the sleeve for clamping the escutcheon against the outer face of the tank, a handle depending from said head and operatively engaging the free end of said stem adapted to rock said trip in opposite directions, and means engaging said sleeve and concealed by said escutcheon for rigidly holding the sleeve and the bracket in place.

The combination with a china flush tank having an opening in one wall, a tlnsh valve, and the lever for operating said valve of a bracket disposed in said tank adapted to pivotally support said lever, a trip comprising a loop engaging said lever and having a stem extending through the bracket and through and beyond the opening in the tank. a hollow threaded member disposed in said opening through which said stem passes, a china head mounted on said stein beyond the outer end of said member, a

china escutcheon interposed betvveen said head and the tank. means engaging said member for rigidly holding the escutcheon against the tank, means for rigidly clamping the. bracket against the tank, a gravitative handle tor rocking said head and said stem. and concealed metal means for detachably securing the handle to the free end of th stein.

t The combination with a china flush tank, a [lush valve. a lever for operating said valve, and a bracket pivotally supporting said lewr, ot a threaded sleeve passing through an opening in a vvall ol' the tank and extending through said bracket, means engaging aid sleeve at the opposite sides oi said wall for rigidly clamping the bracket against said wall and for holding said sleeve at right angles to said all, a plurality of china parts projecting beyond said Wall, comprising an annular escutcheon mounted concentrically on the sleeve, and having a concave base that engages the convex outer face of the tank. said escutcheon having a recess, a trip for operating said lever, said trip having a stem which passes through said sleeve, a head mounted concentrically on the free end of said stein beyond the sleeve, a portion of said head nesting in said re yes, and a handle depending from said head and detachably engaging the free end of said stem adapted for rocking said trip and said lever for opening the flush valve.

7. The combination with a china llush tank having a molded opening in one wall, a flush valve, and a lever for opening said valve, of a threaded sleeve disposed in the opening of the tank, a bracket for support ing said lever mounted on the inner end of said sleeve, a nut for holding said bracket in place, a trip tor operating said lever, said trip having a stem which passes axially through said sleeve and bracket, the free end of said stem extending beyond the outer end of the sleeve and having a threaded hole, a bushing mounted on said sleeve outside of the tank having a flange engaging the outer face of the tank, adapted when tightened up to rigidly clamp the bracket against the inner wall of the tank, a vitrified escutcheon mounted concentrically on the sleeve and concealing said bushing, said escutcheon having an out ardly facing recess, a spanner-nut disposed in said recess and threaded to the sleeve adapted to clamp the e cutcheon against the outer Wall of the tank. a \itl'iiied. head mounted on the outer end of said stem extending into said recess and engaging and concealing said nut, said head having an opening regi tering with the hole in the stem, and a vitrilied handle engaging the free end of the stem adapted for rocking said head and said trip.

8. The combination with a china flush tank having a molded opening, a flush valve in the tank, and a trip for operating said valve. said trip having a stem protruding through said opening, a china escutcheon through which said stein extends having an outwardly facing concave socket, a nut hav ing a convex face engaging said socket for adjustably clamping the escutcheon against a tank Wall when the outer face of the tank Wall is not parallel to its inner face, :1 china head receiving and eoi'icealing the free end of said stem and loosely ngaging said nut. a handle depending from the head, and concealed metal means carried by the handle adapted to engage the free end of said stem.

9. A flush valve operating mechanism including a threaded sleeve adapted to be inserted through the Wall of a flush tank, a trip for operating the flush valve having stem journaled in said sleeve, the free end of said stem extending beyond the outer end of the sleeve, a china escutcheon loose- 1y mounted on said sleeve, said escutcheon having a concave socket adjacent the outer end of the sleeve, a nut having a convex cletac-l ably connecting the handle to the engaging the concave of said socket free end of said stein, .zind means 01 rigidaclupted for clamping the esenteheon against ly securing said sleeve to the wall of the 10 the uneven oi" curved outer face of the tank.

twnk, a hollow china howl mounted upon In testimony whereof Infiix mysignatnre. and concealing the free end of said stem,

:1 china handle, concealed metal means for BERT O. TILD EJ. 

